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Tag: Lilian Greenwood

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2025 Statement on Dartford Crossing Charges

    Lilian Greenwood – 2025 Statement on Dartford Crossing Charges

    The statement made by Lilian Greenwood, the Transport Minister, in the House of Commons on 17 June 2025.

    The Dartford Crossing is the only fixed road crossing of the River Thames, east of London, and one of the most important links in the strategic road network.

    To manage demand and protect the crossing’s role as a vital component of the nation’s economic infrastructure, a user charge has been collected at the crossing since 2003. In 2014, the tollbooths were removed to help make journeys smoother and the charge was increased to help manage increased demand. This was the last time that charges were increased for all vehicles.

    In the 11 years since, demand at the crossing has grown 7.5%, with the crossing now used by an average of over 150,000 vehicles every day and up to 180,000 vehicles on the busiest days. These traffic levels are well in excess of the crossing’s design capacity, causing delays for drivers using the crossing, congestion and journey disruption to drivers on the M25 and a range of knock-on impacts for local communities.

    Current charging levels are no longer sufficient to achieve their stated aim of managing demand so that the crossing works well for users and local people. The need to increase the charges to manage traffic highlights the need for the additional capacity that LTC, for which the government confirmed new funding yesterday, will provide.

    To secure the effective operation of the crossing, I have, therefore, decided to increase the charges for all vehicle types that currently pay to use the crossing from 1 September 2025. The new tariff is given below.

    Class Vehicles One-off payment Pre-pay account holders
    A Motorcycles, mopeds and quad bikes Free Free
    B Cars (including trailers), motorhomes and any minibuses that have 9 or less seats (including the driver’s seat) £3.50 £2.80
    C Buses, coaches, vans and other goods vehicles with 2 axles £4.20 £3.60
    D Buses, coaches, vans and other goods vehicles with more than 2 axles £8.40 £7.20

    The increase in charges for car drivers will be a maximum of £1, with significant discounts for local residents and account holders. The new charges will be significantly lower than if they had increased in line with inflation since the tariff was last fully revised in 2014.

    I am aware that these necessary changes to the charges will be unwelcome news for users of the crossing. However, we will continue to support local people through the local resident discount scheme and I have been determined to keep the nominal fee paid by local people as low as possible, as many rely on the crossing to get around their local area. Drivers who live in Dartford or Thurrock and who have signed up to the scheme will pay £25 for unlimited annual crossings from 1 September 2025 – a small increase from the current annual fee.

    There are no other changes to the charging scheme. Journeys made between the hours of 22:00 and 06:00 will continue to be free, when there is no need to manage demand, as will those made by motorcycles at any time and the bicycle pick-up service.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2015-11-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has spent on (a) temporary agency staff, (b) consultants, (c) non-payroll staff, (d) administration and (e) marketing and advertising in real terms in each year since 2010-11.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Department’s spend on temporary agency staff, consultancy and administration for the financial years from 2010/11 to 2014/15 is published in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts and is included in the tables below.

    (a) Temporary Agency Staff

    Temporary Agency Staff (£m)

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    Department for Transport (central)

    6.87

    4.10

    6.85

    12.80

    15.77

    Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

    3.70

    1.00

    3.13

    1.22

    0.98

    Driving Standards Agency

    0.34

    0.00

    0.01

    0.13

    0.80

    Highways Agency

    3.76

    2.45

    1.01

    5.83

    9.82

    Maritime and Coastguard Agency

    0.48

    0.17

    0.14

    0.57

    1.07

    Vehicle Certification Agency

    0.15

    0.12

    0.17

    0.36

    0.14

    Vehicle and Operator Services Agency

    1.00

    1.59

    2.28

    3.02

    5.39

    Department Total

    16.30

    9.43

    13.59

    23.93

    33.97

    (b) Consultancy

    Consultancy (£m)

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    Department for Transport (central)

    5.54

    5.57

    10.30

    8.12

    19.25

    Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

    0.76

    0.48

    0.56

    0.70

    0.12

    Driving Standards Agency

    0.10

    0.00

    0.00

    0.04

    0.31

    Highways Agency

    3.87

    0.30

    0.19

    0.27

    0.00

    Maritime and Coastguard Agency

    0.13

    0.05

    0.10

    0.13

    0.00

    Vehicle Certification Agency

    0.00

    0.00

    0.00

    0.05

    0.00

    Vehicle and Operator Services Agency

    0.39

    0.01

    0.07

    0.97

    0.09

    Department Total

    10.79

    6.41

    11.22

    10.28

    19.77

    The figures for temporary staff and consultancy have been produced based on Cabinet Office definitions for these categories of expenditure. Consultancy is defined as work of an advisory nature designed to inform policy or to assist with strategic decisions and complex legal issues. Temporary Staff category includes expenditure where it is clear that specific individuals are being engaged to work on projects and ‘business as usual’ functions.

    Please see (d) Administration for further information

    (c) Non-payroll Staff

    Most non-payroll expenditure is included as either Temporary Staff or Consultancy answered in parts (a) and (b) above, with the exception of:-

    Non-Payroll Staff (£M)

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA)

    1.68

    1.76

    2.05

    2.18

    3.04

    VCA figures include overseas contractors and locally employed staff. There was a large increase 2013/14 to 2014/15 as they took over a Turkish contract.

    (d) Administration

    Administration costs reflect the costs of running the Department, including staff, accommodation, IT costs, and operating lease rentals. The administration budget figures below are substantially lower than the 2009-10 figure of £297m.

    Department for Transport Spend Category (£m)

    2010/11

    2011/12

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    Total Administration Budget

    276.26

    216.74

    242.93

    240.08

    271.38

    To ensure that the Department was resourced to deliver its agenda, particularly around letting and managing rail franchise contracts following the Laidlaw and Brown reviews, HM Treasury agreed to switch £25m from DfT’s Programme to Administration budgets, increasing the Department’s 2014-15 Administration budget to £275m, plus £13m for depreciation.

    The increases in (a) temporary staff and (b) consultancy spend was covered in this switch.

    Notes:

    1. Government Car & Despatch Agency disbanded during 2012/13 following which the work has been undertaken within the Department. The Administration therefore falls under Central Administration section from

    2013/14 onwards.

    2. General Lighthouse Authorities consolidated into the Department’s accounts for 2013/14 and beyond.

    (e) Marketing and Advertising

    Spend on marketing, including marketing related advertising, by the Department and its Executive Agencies for the financial years 2012/13 to 2014/15 is set out in the table below.

    Marketing spend in 2014/15 is 83% less than the £48.4 million recorded for 2009/10.

    Marketing related expenditure (£m)

    2012/13

    2013/14

    2014/15

    Department for Transport (central)

    3.47

    4.79

    5.96

    Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

    0.56

    Nil

    Nil

    Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency1

    –

    –

    0.23

    Driving Standards Agency1

    0.04

    0.03

    –

    Government Car and Despatch Agency2

    Nil

    –

    –

    Highways Agency

    0.46

    0.43

    1.91

    Maritime and Coastguard Agency

    0.18

    0.16

    0.21

    Vehicle and Operator Services Agency1

    0.06

    0.06

    –

    Vehicle Certification Agency

    0.04

    N/A

    0.05

    Department Total

    4.80

    5.47

    8.36

    Notes:

    1. The Driving Standards Agency and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency became the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency in April 2014.

    2. The Government Car and Despatch Agency ceased on 30 September 2012.

    Most of the additional spend in 2014/15 compared to the previous year is attributable to the THINK! Drug Drive campaign in March 2015 supporting the implementation of new enforcement regulations and the Highways Agency public information campaign on the implementation of new traffic management and payment methods at the Dartford Crossing.

    Figures for 2010/11 and 2011/12 were not prepared and could be compiled now only at disproportionate cost.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-01-05.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2015 to Question 20054, what funding was allocated to the Winter Weather Repair Fund in 2014-15.

    Andrew Jones

    In 2014/15, the Government provided £950 million to local highway authorities for highways maintenance, including £168 million to specifically tackle potholes across the country.

    In March 2014, the Government provided an additional £183.5 million to help repair local highway infrastructure damaged by the winter floods of 2013/14. This funding was spent by local highway authorities in 2014/15.

    Overall, between 2010 to 2015, local highways maintenance funding was 27% or £1billion higher than under the previous Labour administration.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-01-20.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department’s statistical table BUS0840, on discretionary concessionary travel enhancements, which Travel Concessionary Authorities that reported that they funded enhancements in 2010-11 did not report funding those enhancements in 2015-16 in the category of (a) companions to disabled people, (b) young people, (c) extensions to travel times pre 0930, (d) extensions beyond 2300 during weekdays and (e) national rail services within geographic area.

    Andrew Jones

    The Department’s statistical table BUS0841 shows each Travel Concession Authority (TCA) and which discretionary enhancements they offer. The figures for 2015/16 are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/463748/bus0841.xls

    The equivalent data for 2010/11 can be found here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/concessionary-travel-statistics-england-2011-12-and-2012-13

    “

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-02-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many camera sites that contain speed cameras there are on (a) the Strategic Roads Network, and (b) the trunk road network in England.

    Andrew Jones

    The number of permanent sites that contain speed cameras on the strategic road network is 206. Of these, 76 camera sites are on the motorway network and 130 camera sites are on all-purpose trunk roads.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to performance indicators for helping cyclists, walkers and other vulnerable users of the network in the Highways England operational metrics manual, whether any additional resource funding has been allocated under the Road Investment Strategy to reduce vulnerable user casualties.

    Andrew Jones

    Highways England has committed to provide a safer, integrated and more accessible strategic road network for cyclists, walkers and other vulnerable road users. Through the first Road Investment Strategy for Highways England, a ring-fenced allocation of £175 million has been made available between 2015 and 2020 to improve the safety of the Strategic Road Network and improve conditions for cyclists and other vulnerable road users.

    The Highways England current delivery plan states that £78 million will be used to improve conditions for those cycling alongside and crossing the Strategic Road Network. The remaining £97 million will be used to enhance the safety of our network, with £20 million of this specifically targeted at improving facilities to provide a more accessible and integrated network.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-02-24.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress Highways England has made on introducing Regional Road Safety Co-ordinators; and whether Highways England’s Regional Incident and Casualty Reduction Plans will include targets for casualty reductions.

    Andrew Jones

    Regional Safety Coordinators have now been appointed by Highways England. The first appointment was made in January 2016 and the final appointment was made this month.

    The killed and seriously injured reduction target, which is within the Roads Investment Strategy, is a 40% reduction by 2020 (against 2005 to 2009 average baseline). Highways England’s Regional Incident and Casualty Reduction Plans which will provide the disaggregated targets per region will be published in April 2016.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-02-29.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department’s South East Flexible Ticketing programme’s Strategic Business Case was completed; and if he will place a copy of that document in the Library.

    Claire Perry

    The South East Flexible Ticketing Programme’s Strategic Business Case was approved by the Rail Investment Board on 24th June 2014 and subsequently confirmed by Her Majesty’s Treasury on 22nd July that same year. The release of this document into the public domain could prejudice current policy making so it will not be placed into the Library at this stage.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-03-08.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 67 of Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd’s Regulatory Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2015, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of Network Rail’s reduction in insurance cover on that company’s finances.

    Claire Perry

    My Department has not made an assessment of the effect of this decision. It is for Network Rail to ensure the right approach to its insurance cover to provide value for money, in line with Managing Public Money guidance.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) median and (b) mean wage is of (i) male and (ii) female employees of (A) his Department, (B) Network Rail, (C) Highways England, (D) HS2 Ltd, (E) the Office of Rail and Road, (F) the DVLA, (G) the Driver Vehicle Standards Authority and (H) the VCA on the latest date for which figures are available.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The median and mean wages levels for male and female employees are as follows:

    Median wage

    Organisation

    Male

    Female

    DfT(c)

    £45,747

    £42,103

    Network Rail

    £33,781

    £32,000

    Highways England

    £24,054

    £27,455

    HS2 Ltd

    £51,552

    £38,928

    Office of Rail and Road

    £58,152

    £40,900

    Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

    £19,155

    £19,155

    Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency

    £25,328

    £25,162

    Vehicle Certification Agency

    £36,565

    £25,758

    Mean wage

    Organisation

    Male

    Female

    DfT(c)

    £51,012

    £45,335

    Network Rail

    £36,789

    £36,073

    Highways England

    £31,608

    £30,974

    HS2 Ltd

    £65,130

    £44,650

    Office of Rail and Road

    £56,597

    £45,445

    Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

    £22,197

    £20,649

    Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency

    £26,108

    £24,826

    Vehicle Certification Agency

    £36,798

    £25,918

    The central Department and its Agencies have historically had differences in mean and median pay levels of male and female staff. In 2014, pay, terms and conditions were modernised, including shortening the lengths of pay ranges. As a result of this, and the 2015 pay strategy, the differences in mean and median pay levels of male and female staff have decreased. The central Department and its Agencies are committed to continuing to reduce the differences over the next few years.